Clarence Mansion
Brighton
3d February
My Dear Henry
I am afraid we have little chance of getting to L. Abbey before the end of the Traherne <1> visit, I wrote to Charlotte T. to delay her arrival chez vous <2> as long as she could, but she had some cogent reason for wishing to be at home by a certain day. Horatia <3> finds the Salt water Baths do her so much good that she wished to stay for two or three more, & we shall be in town the 6th or 7th and then I must remain a few days in town to settle many things about the eternal repairs of that house which being an old one costs more than its worth. That chimney <4> will be a costly business & yet it is essential, I believe I told you the injury that had been done by the sweeping Machines. I wish the humanity Monger <5> who introduced that foolish bill into Parliament, was at the bottom of the red [sic] Sea. As we dined with the Duchess of Bedford <6> we could not look for the occultation of Mars, at least we forgot it. But I suppose we should not have seen it, as you could not. What was my surprize when walking along the West Cliff to see well known forms laying [sic] in a shop window – I went in, & asked some questions – they said they sold a great many, in fact all the best were gone<.> Mr King <7> is here. He says that Brunel’s <8> amour propre is blessé <9> because he over shot himself in that agreement he signed. Poor King’s eyes are very bad, but his understanding is clear as ever, & his conversation & reasoning as lucid.
The weather is unnaturally warm & all the flowers that you say are out will be nipped soon most probably. To day we dine with the Duke of Devonshire <10> who was a subscriber to the Sun Pictures in Scotland. <11>
Wednesday 4th February
I had not time to finish this yesterday, & this morning received Constance’s <12> Letter of the 2d which had been round by London I am very sorry not to be able to help her with her visitors, but hope you will stay till Monday, as you can do nothing in London on Sunday. She might allow the Children some relaxation with Madlle D. <13> because the Trahernes are so fond of those little animals, & to be sometimes with their relations (particularly such sensible ones) will do them quite as much good for a time, as the lessons of that routiniste. <14> So pray tell Constance that is [sic] my advice to allow the chicks to help her in this emergency as forming the Manners & counteracting Shyness is an essential part of education, & she may take warning (not example) by the deficiency of polish in some connexions of ours not 100 miles off. All the counties are under water what a flood you must have
Notes:
1. Charlotte Louisa 'Charry' Traherne, née Talbot (1800–1880), WHFT’s cousin.
2. At your house.
3. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810–1851), WHFT’s half-sister.
4. See Doc. No: 04692.
5. Presumably Anthony Ashley Cooper (1801–1885), Lord Shaftesbury, the social reformer, whose Act of 1840 ameliorated the condition of climbing boys (child chimney sweeps) although the use of child sweeps was not abolished until 1875.
6. Anna Maria Russell, née Stanhope, 7th Duchess of Bedford.
7. Of William Read King & Son, solicitors, London.
8. Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806–1859), civil engineer.
9. Self-esteem is wounded.
10. Sir William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (1790–1858).
11. WHFT, Sun Pictures in Scotland (London: Published by subscription in 1845)
12. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811–1880), WHFT’s wife.
13. Mademoiselle Dutscheck, governess to the Talbot children in the mid-1840s. [See Doc. No: 05331].
14. Out of humdrum mind; a stickler for routine.